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Asmussen: Mandatory Training Dark Days ‘Not In Racehorses’ Best Interest’

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen penned an op/ed for the Thoroughbred Daily News this week discussing some tracks' practice of closing for training one day per week. In a time of increased accountability for all racing participants, Asmussen argues that the mandatory dark days are a “short-sighted cost-cutting move” which is “not in racehorses' best interest.”

“Denying an opportunity to train on a schedule tailored to the individual horse, rather than for someone sitting in an office, hurts the health of our racehorses,” Asmussen wrote.

Asmussen goes on to share an opinion from his veterinarian, Dr. William C. Hawk: “Most horses can benefit from a day off. It just needs to be by the trainers' discretion… No athlete is scheduled to take a set day off every week because schedules change, weather changes and games are played on different days of the week. We find the same in horse racing.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Steve Asmussen Op/Ed: Please Do What is Right for the Racehorse

With heightened accountability for the health and welfare of horses, trainers today are being held to the highest of standards–as we should. However, we can see every day that race tracks and track ownership groups are not held to that same standard.

A prime example is the unfortunate trend of closing a racetrack one day a week for training. This short-sighted cost-cutting move is not in racehorses’ best interest.

I feel that I’ve exhausted the proper channels to discuss this with people in charge of safety. We need all concerned horsemen and horsemen’s associations to explain to track management and regulators why being closed a day a week for training is not a simple scheduling hurdle for trainers but absolutely is not doing right by the horse.

Tracks have added multiple maintenance breaks during training hours in order to maintain the best track surface possible. But the practice of closing a racetrack one day a week funnels an unnecessary volume of horses to work over the same racetrack, which defeats the purpose of having a renovation break or multiple breaks.

At a time when horsemanship and reacting to the individual needs of a horse should be encouraged, a mandated training “dark day” does not allow taking into account variables such as weather, track condition on a given day, timing of races or just how the horse is doing–and how the horse performed in training one morning might necessitate an adjustment for the next day.

If there’s so much more accountability for the health of a horse, then let us do everything possible to get them over there in the best shape achievable.

Soundness keeps horses training and racing, and without sound horses there are no races. Denying an opportunity to train on a schedule tailored to the individual horse, rather than for someone sitting in an office, hurts the health of our racehorses.

From my Churchill Downs and Oaklawn Park veterinarian, Dr. William C. Hawk:
“It’s not a herd mentality, where we’re trying to milk a certain group of cows at a certain time every day. Mandated days off increase the incidence of the syndrome known as ‘tying-up,’ which can lead to muscle damage, with fillies particularly susceptible. Often those horses will have to be tranquilized as prevention the day after they don’t train. If they tie-up, we have to scratch them in order to treat them, and we can’t treat them to prevent it.

“Most horses can benefit from a day off. It just needs to be by the trainers’ discretion based on what they see with each individual horse, and we want these horses training up to the day they race. We don’t want the day before for sure, and usually a couple of days before that, off before exerting at full speed.

“There are metabolic issues. Proper movement affects hooves and legs, as well as the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Proper exercise improves their circulation, digestion, flexibility, muscle and bone development, which in turn impacts their overall health and happiness.

“No athlete is scheduled to take a set day off every week because schedules change, weather changes and games are played on different days of the week. We find the same in horse racing.
“On top of this, the track cannot be at its optimum condition for morning training after a day with no maintenance. Putting sufficient amounts of water on the track is one of the most critical components to track safety. After missing a day, it can take another day or more–depending on weather–to gain back what was lost.”

It’s amazing the resistance you meet from people in position to make decisions for the safety of the horses. It’s not OK to do nothing. It’s 100 percent not what’s best for a horse.

I continue to see the layers of safety measures being put in place, the motivation of some edicts having more to do with the hope of changing perceived public perception rather than actually benefitting the horse. What I don’t see is horsemen being part of determining thoughtful measures that effect positive transformation. That must change, and the ill-advised practice of mandatory non-training days should stop now.

Steve Asmussen is a Hall of Fame trainer who has won more than 9,000 races. William C. Hawk DVM has practiced equine medicine at the racetrack for more than 40 years.

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New Colic Pain Scale Assesses Discomfort Quickly

Two equine hospitals have trialed a pain scale to assess the level of discomfort of 237 horses referred to the clinics for colic. The veterinarians concluded that the sale was reliable, easy to use and fast.

Drs. Yamit Maskato, Alexandra Dugdale, Ellen Singer, Gal Kelmer and Gila Sutton created the Equine Acute Abdominal Pain Scale (EAAPS) in 2013. The scientists report that the scale requires no training, can be used easily in hospital settings and can improve equine welfare.

They suggest that the EAAPS now be tested in the field by veterinarians, as well as by horse owners and farm caretakers who lack medical training. Colic is the most common cause of equine deaths in the United States. Severity of pain is an important parameter for decision making regarding a horse that is colicking; it can also assist in evaluating pain-relieving measures, patient status and surgical or euthanasia decisions.

The EAAP gives typical colic behaviors a one-digit score to grade the severity of pain, with 1 being the most mild (flank watching or lip curling) to 5 being the most severe (rolling). Participants at the two clinics where the EAAP was trialed reported that the EAAP was quick and easy to use, even with no training on the scale.

The creators determined that the EAAPS is feasible to use in an equine clinical setting to determine the severity of colic cases.

Read the full article here.

Physical Therapy Returns Horses To Competition Ring More Rapidly

A horse that requires surgical intervention for a bout of colic isn't out of the woods as soon as he come out of anesthesia. His recovery period can be fraught with complications as his abdominal muscles have been damaged: the surgeon must cut through them to access the origin of the pain. This incision will alter the function of the skeletal muscles.

Drs. Hillary Clayton and Narelle Stubbs of Michigan State University have developed a series of physical therapy exercises that can be completed after the horse's surgery is complete to help strengthen the horse's core and back muscles. Dubbed the core abdominal rehabilitation exercise (CARE) program, the rehabilitation begins 30 days post-surgery and recommends four weeks of in-hand strengthening exercises. These exercises include lumbar lifts and limbering exercises that ask the horse to move his chin to his withers, chest, knees and fetlocks.

A study was done to determine if the CARE program allowed horses to return to work or to competition more rapidly than not implementing rehabilitation exercises post-surgery. Owners of horses that had had colic surgery between 2008 and 2017 were given the option of taking part in the CARE program. Those owners who chose to engage their horse in the program received a manual, DVD and schedule to follow. Horses that were alive one year after the colic surgery were able to be included in the study.

There were 62 total horses used for the study; 11 horses had completed the CARE protocol and 51 did not complete the program. Researchers reviewed each horse's medical records and sent out surveys asking about the horse's post-op care and progress. Questions included for how long the horse was on stall rest after surgery as well as the timeline on surgery, the beginning of work and the return to full training and competition. They were also asked how the horse was performing one year after the surgery.

Results showed that horses that participated in the CARE rehab program returned to work more quickly: On average within 60 days while the control horses returned to work in 90 days. CARE horses returned to full work in 75 days, versus the control horse's 120 days it took to return to full work.

The researchers concluded that the CARE protocol is beneficial post-surgery, but that it may also be helpful during any recovery that includes long periods of rest for the horse.